Never Look Back
by s-chick-12
Summary: When Bane begins to fear Talia is in danger in her father's house, he decides to help her escape from a dark place once again.
1. Fears Realized

_Hello, all! I just saw The Dark Knight Rises last weekend and I just loved the idea of Bane and Talia! So here is this little mess I have been thinking up since seeing the movie. It has been ages since I have seen Batman Begins, so I really don't remember what Ra's al Ghul was like. Hopefully I didn't portray him insanely out of character! In my mind, Talia is roughly 16 and Bane is 28. I have no idea what they're real ages are so I improvised. =) _ _Hope you all like! Please read and review, it makes my day! Suggestions welcome_

* * *

Ra's al Ghul was not a patient man. He was far from the kind of man that would make a great teacher. When his students did not catch on easily, he became frustrated, demanding to know _why _this act that was so easy for him was so damn complicated for them. Bane had hoped that, because the student in case was his only daughter, he might somehow develop some patience for Talia's sake. But, as he sat waiting behind the doors of the training room, he knew that nothing had changed.

The sound of moving feet, clacking of wooden practice poles, and labored breathing met the giant's ears as he rested his head back on the wall, eyes closed. He imagined his Talia, hair messily strewn across her face, cheeks flushed, eyes wide as she desperately tried to keep up with her father. Her feet made much lighter sounds than her father's, and he heard hers moving twice as often. _She's on the defense_.

_Click._

_Clack. _

The next sound that he heard was not wood on wood, but wood on flesh. The hiss he heard escape Talia's mouth indicated that she was the one who had taken the blow. Bane winced, as if the pole had struck him directly in the side. He swore he could feel her pain.

Bane hated the daily training sessions Talia had with Ra's. Each time he sat down to wait, the dread coiled in his stomach before they even began to warm up. He knew Talia was a quick learner, by far better than half of her father's men at hand-to-hand combat, but Ra's expected her to be perfect. Lately, much to his dismay, her practices had ended more and more with her injured. Each day after practice he would lead her to his room and fix everything that he could, watching her sad eyes as she stared into the corner. When he offered a word of praise she would shrug it off. "Father says I am not fast enough yet." She would answer quietly, and Bane would feel his blood boil. Didn't this man see what he was doing to his daughter? _His _angel?

"Talia, for the last time, _keep your head up!" _Ra's al Ghul's voice was muffled, but Bane could easily pick up the anger in it.

The clacking resumed again and Bane listened closely. They had been at it for almost half an hour, and Ra's had not let up on her once. He was in a particularly foul mood today for some reason, and was seemingly taking it out on the girl. The thought of him using Talia as a proverbial punching bag made his breathing quicken and his hands clench. Had this girl not gone through enough hell in her short life? Did he have to keep _pushing _her, keep reminding her that she was not as gifted as he had hoped she would be?

Bane stood up and began pacing in front of the door, nerves on edge. Talia was in a situation that could potentially harm her. Training or not, it still made the protective side of him go into overdrive, and all that crossed his mind was getting her out of there, away from him, somewhere where they could be alone and he could remind her of how wonderful and beautiful and smart she was. She was his rock, his best friend, his _soul, _and he could not stand by and watch her be broken like a common soldier.

He had noticed the change in her attitude within the last month. _When Ra's came back from his mission, _his mind hissed to him. Yes, it had started since her father had returned. Normally she was a happy girl, always by his side. He was her guardian, and it was his job to escort her wherever she went. He loved his position, as it meant she was at his side almost all the time. It reminded him of their time in The Pit, when all they had in the world was each other. Now, they had all the food and water they could ever want, plus beds, clothing, medicine, and the wide open country. For some reason, he thinks, maybe they were happier there.

The movement inside the room breaks his concentration and he stops pacing, wanting to hear everything that is going on.

"Talia, you are _wasting my time_. Did you do _nothing _while I was away?" The practice pole smacks to the ground and bounces, before rolling away.

"I…I practiced every day, father." Talia answers breathlessly. The sound of her voice soothes Bane. _She is alive, she is okay._

"You are still at the same level you were two months ago! Your speeds, your agility, your strength…none of them have improved! Let me just _demonstrate _what could happen if this was a real battle. Maybe reality will help you. Put the pole down. Get your hands up."

His voice is menacing. Bane puts his hand on the doorknob. He is ready, one sound of Talia being hurt and he will be by her side, protecting her from the next blow.

He hears Ra's grunt and his heavy feet move quickly. Talia's feet move just as quickly. A brush of fabric, a soft cry…

A loud _snap._

The sound seems to echo, and even though he is behind a wooden door, Bane feels as though whatever broke was right up against his ear. He panics and throws the door open. _Please, don't let it be her neck._

She is sitting on the floor, legs under her. Her left arm is gingerly reaching towards her right arm, which is bent between the wrist and the elbow at an unnatural angle. Bane is by her side in moments, whispering to her not to touch it, not even to look at it. Her eyes are glassy and her mouth slightly open. _She is in shock_ he realizes, as he looks up at Ra's al Ghul for the first time upon entering the room.

He is standing not ten feet away, watching the scene unfold. His daughter, staring down at the arm he just snapped in fascination, her friend from the pit, _Bane, _by her side. His temper flares as he sees the giant of a man comforting her. He should have left him to die in that pit. His presence has been part of what is keeping Talia so weak, from reaching her true potential. The monster with the iron mask is ruining her.

"Out in battle, men will not hesitate to break whatever they can." He begins, steely eyes set on the pair. "And you will not get to sit there like a broken doll and access the damage. You must get up and continue to fight. You must be _stronger_. You must be _harder._ This…this _weakness _that you possess will _kill _you, Talia! Do you not understand me? When you are in a fight, your opponent does not want to let you go with only a few reminders of how he beat you, he wants to _kill you_, so you will show others what happens when they challenge him!"

Bane sends a heated glare to the man who, by the end of his little speech, is screaming. He wants, more than anything, to make him pay for what he did to Talia. He can practically picture his hands around his neck, squeezing the life from him, making him beg for forgiveness. This wretch of a man has no _idea_ what words like strong and hard even mean. _Strong _is a little child who climbed her way out of a pit hundreds of men had never even gotten half way up. _Hard _is a girl who watches her pathetic mother die in front of her, and forces herself to continue the fight to live. Ra's was spared the tortures of The Pit. Talia was not. She was _born _in it.

"Take her to the infirmary." Ra's says to Bane, shaking his head in disgust as he exits the training room. Bane holds down a curse as he turns all his attention to the girl.

"Talia, angel, look at me."

Slowly her eyes leave her arm and meet his. She blinks a couple times before seemingly rejoining him in the present.

"Bane?" she whispers, and he nods as he runs two fingers over her cheek.

"I…I think my arm is broken." She mutters, sending it another glance. He takes his fingers and turns her head back towards him.

"It is, angel. I need to take you to the doctor. Do you think you can stand?"

She nods numbly and with his help regains her footing. She stands, swaying slightly, and he presses a large hand to her back to steady her. Carefully, as though he's picking up the most delicate thing imaginable, he lifts her to his chest, minding her broken arm. She hisses as she brings it across her stomach. He closes his eyes as he feels her bury her face in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you, Bane." She whispers and he only nods as he begins the short walk to the infirmary.

Bane's mind is on full throttle and only one thought seems to really be sticking.

_I need to get her out of here._

As he reaches the door for the infirmary, Talia has passed out and his limply lying in his arms. Seeing her like this reminds him of the little angel he held on his chest every night as they slept together.

_I will get you out of her, Talia._ _I will help you fly once again, and this time, you won't be alone._


	2. Time to Fly

_So, I logged onto my email today and oh my gosh I had reviews! You guys are awesome! Thanks to HeyNowYa, coco181, Belle de Sainte Ange, and Sandra. You guys seriously made my day, and inspired me to sit down and write chapter two! I hope you like it! And please please please leave me some love in the form of a review =) let me know what you like and what you hate, I'm open to any suggestions! _

_Oh…and I own none of the characters. I am just borrowing them for my own enjoyment._

* * *

The doctor does not look surprised when Bane enters the infirmary, Talia clutched protectively to his chest. He sends the hulk of a man he helped back to life a sad smile and motions to the empty cot in the middle of the room. Her protector lowers her onto the bed, letting her down so softly the doctor pauses in gathering his instruments to watch them.

He remembers the first time he saw Bane; he had been close to death then. Half the size he was now, sickly, and so full of infection that the good doctor's first thought was that he would not make it through the night.

Bane had surprised him, though. He had survived the first night and dozens after that. The mask that now covered half his face was of his invention. His first prototype was much less…barbaric than the one Bane wore now. It had been Ra's al Ghul's idea to make it appear more menacing.

_It will make others fear him, it will make them think twice before challenging him_.

The doctor had done as al Ghul had wished, though he disagreed vehemently with the idea. Yes, it made his enemies fear him, but it also made everyone else fear him for no reason.

Everyone that is, except for Talia.

"How did she break her arm?" the doctor asks Bane quietly. He moves to her side and sends a wary glance to her protector. He stands at her side, towering over him, as if daring him to hurt her.

"Her father broke it while they were sparring." He answers. Even with the mask distorting his true voice, the doctor easily picks up the rage in it.

"Was it an accident?" he questions, taking the arm in his hands as gently as he would pick up a butterfly's wing.

Bane does not answer.

The old doctor does not need any more information. He knows. He has known for a while now. Even though it is not his place, he cannot help but feel pity for the girl and anger for Ra's. He is only a doctor. He is not a fighter; never has been, never will be. He simply waits in his office for the next member of the League who has been injured. It is a common occurrence in the base.

Gently he examines Talia's arm. The skin is not broken, thankfully.

"It is a clean break." He tells Bane, turning in his chair to gather the supplies to fit her with a cast. "The cast will stay on for six to eight weeks. I forbid her from any kind of strenuous activity until this heals. And I mean that." He sends her guardian a pointed look, and he sees the look of relief sweep over the man.

Obviously, he has been observing the same things as he has.

"The older she gets, the more brutal he gets." He muses to himself. He knows he should not be saying such things. The room very possibly is bugged, and the leader of The League has just heard him pass judgment. He smiles to himself at the thought. He does not even care. Ra's al Ghul will not terminate his employment (or his life). Ra's is a man who trusts no one; finding a doctor with as tight of lips and as skilled as hands as he would be next to impossible.

* * *

Bane is relieved when the cast is in place and Talia is back in his arms. The doctor has given him some pain reducers to give her for when she awakes. Thankfully, she remained asleep throughout the entire visit.

He makes his way back to his room and lays her down on his bed. He knows Ra's would be angry to find her sleeping somewhere other than her own bed, but he doubts the man will come looking for her anytime soon. When he hurts Talia, he usually makes himself scarce and leaves Bane to clean up his mess.

As he pulls the blanket up to her neck, she begins to stir. He sits on the side of the bed and waits patiently.

Her eyes open slowly and her eyelids flutter. She makes an attempt to sit up and Bane's large hand on her shoulder holds her still.

"Rest now; you've had a hard day."

Talia looks up at him and smiles.

"I can't remember the last time you let me sleep in your bed."

"Well, don't get used to it." He says, trying to sound serious. She only smiles more.

"You couldn't possibly banish me, could you?"

She can tell he is smiling under his mask by the way the skin around his eyes crinkle.

"Don't kid yourself, angel."

She laughs softly and once again makes a move to sit up. This time, she is startled by the large, gauze wrapped encasement on her arm. She stares at it, bewildered, for a moment. Then, as if all the day's events suddenly have rushed at her at once, she slumps back down. Bane sees the sadness overtake her and he is desperate to return her to the laughing girl he just had moments ago.

"I had the doctor make it blue, you're favorite color." He says, hopeful that it will earn a smile. It does not.

"How long will I have it on?" she asks. He answers six to eight weeks and she grimaces.

"Father will not be happy."

Bane can no longer control himself.

"If he did not want you laid up, he should not have put his hands on you."

She is taken back by the harsh tone of his voice, but cannot blame him. _I was thinking the exact same thing._

"I don't understand it, Bane." She confesses, placing her free hand in his much larger one. The feeling of it wrapping around hers comforts her, and gives her the strength to go on.

"I'm trying as hard as I can, honestly, I am. Nothing is ever good enough. What if I cannot take his place? What if I'm just not leader material?" Saying her fear out loud brings tears to her eyes, and she looks away. She hates crying in front of Bane; she knows it upsets him.

He removes his hand from hers and wipes the tears that have fallen against her will from her cheeks.

"Angel, you are trying too hard. Look at everything you do. You have excelled as a student; you've almost mastered your third language. You are graceful and swift and courageous. Talia, you are perfect just how you are."

She finds herself blushing as he attempts to boost her ego. She does not deserve his support.

"But that's not what _he_ wants. He wants me to be a _fighter_." Bane shakes his head.

"If he were to open his eyes, he would see he is taking your training from the wrong vantage point. You are small and quick. Brute force will never be on your side. He must teach you to find the weakness in your opponent and use it to your advantage, not to simply try and overpower them. He is a fool if he thinks training you the way he is will be successful."

She is surprised by Bane's rant. Usually, he does not call her father out on his mistakes. _He is angry with him_ she tells herself. _He has hurt me, and Bane does not like that._

For some reason, it takes that thought to make her realize what has really happened today.

She was not too slow. She was not looking at the ground. She was not tiring too quickly.

Her father had _hurt _her.

She suddenly feels physically ill as she looks at her bandaged arm. He had snapped her like a twig. He had taken one hand and broken her whole arm. It makes her realize that he is capable of far worse.

This is not the first injury, she knows, but it is the worst thus far. There have been bruises, concussions, sprains, exhaustion, but never a break. A break, Talia reminds herself, that was to be used as a _lesson_. She knows her father loves her, in his own strange way. He just wants her to be the best she can be. _But does he know when he has gone too far? _

Bane notices the she is staring at her arm. He fears he has said too much. He should have not have said what he did about her father (even though it's true). He sees her small form tremble and he begins to worry.

He scoots closer to her in the bed so that he is at her side and wraps a massive arm around her small shoulders. She turns to face him and buries her face in his shirt. He swears he can already feel the tears.

"Bane, I'm scared." She whispers, and his blood goes cold.

She has not said this since they were in The Pit. She had been nine, maybe ten. A fight had erupted, and Bane had just barely gotten them into their cell and locked the door before a crazed, half starved man had lunged at the door. He had shoved his arms through the bars and reached for her in the corner.

"I'll get you, little girl. I'll get you, then, I will _rip you apart". _

Bane had reached through the bars and strangled the man who had threatened her until he lay unmoving on the ground. He had gone to her and she had jumped into his arms and whispered the same words she had just said.

"What are you afraid of, angel?" he asks, though he already knows the answer.

"What…what if I fail him, Bane? What will he do to me?"

_Far worse than he did today_, he growls to himself. He gathers up the courage to say what must be said.

"Talia." With a tender hand he reaches for her chin and lifts her eyes to his. She looks to him as though he can fix all of the wrongs in her life.

"I think it is time we leave this place."

He waits for her answer, preparing his argument as to why she is no longer safe here.

"When can we leave?" The emotion on her beautiful face changes from desperate to determined. It is the same look she gave him when she realized her only way out was up.

And he knows she is ready to spread her wings again.


	3. Black Knight

A special thanks to everyone who has reviewed! This is for you! It makes me feel good to know that people are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it. If you haven't reviewed…please do! Let me know what you think! Enjoy : )

* * *

The first time he showed her the stars, she was so small that he could carry her with one arm. He remembers it like it was yesterday…

Talia is jolted awake with a gasp. Visions from her nightmare dance before her eyes in the darkness and she reaches out blindly for Bane. He is already awake and places his hand on her shoulder, calming her. She shivers and lies back down, wrapping her thin arms around his neck, wanting to be as close to him as possible. The feeling of his skin against her own soothes her as she rests her forehead against his cheek.

"Nightmare?" he asks softly and she nods against him in answer. He knows that it is about her mother.

In his mind, he curses the woman. He will never tell Talia, for her love for her mother is pure and untainted, but he despises the now dead princess. In his eyes, the woman condemned her child to a life of Hell. She had chosen her lover over the unborn life in her womb, rashly deciding to take his place in The Pit without giving a second thought to the future of her daughter. He shakes his head to clear the dark thoughts.

"All is well, angel, you have nothing to fear." he assures her, stroking her shoulder soothingly. He feels her release a pent up breath and her body slackens against his. Believing she is drifting back asleep, Bane allows himself to relax and join her in slumber.

Only a few moments pass and he feels her fidget in his arms. He sighs, knowing that if she is not asleep by now, it will be awhile before she finds its peaceful refuge again.

He sits up and swings his feet over the small cot, stretching his arms high above his head as he does so. Talia is instantly pressed to his side, nervously reaching for his hand.

"Where are you going?" she whispers. He says nothing, but scoops her into his arms and quietly slips out of the cell.

The Pit is quiet at this time of night. All of the prisoners are in their cells, sleeping away another mindless day. Bane carefully makes his way to the mouth of The Pit, sending a careful glance around to make sure no one has caught him and his angel on their midnight stroll. Satisfied that they are safe, he lowers himself to the ground, placing Talia on his lap. Now that they are under the moonlight, he can see her large eyes staring up at him, full of questions. She has no idea what he is up to. She has only been in his care for a few months, and her mother had never dared to take her beyond the bars of their cell.

Bane places his hands on her shoulders and turns her so her back is against his chest. He feels her stiffen, a nervous tremble racing down her spine. He leans back and guides her back with him. With his left hand behind him to hold them up, he uses his right to guide her eyes upward.

At first, she is utterly confused. She looks up at the walls of The Pit, bathed in moonlight. What does he want her to see? He gently guides her head up farther, and finally she sees what he is looking at.

The sky in the desert is perfectly clear, and she is in awe of what she sees. A large, round ball of light, surrounded by thousands, maybe _millions_, of twinkling pin-points of light meet her eyes. They are different sizes, some so small that she is not sure if they are really there.

"That is the moon." Bane whispers to her, pointing at the large ball of light. She mouths the word 'moon' and stares up at it in amazement. She can clearly see the imperfections in its surface, and she asks him what they are. He is delighted by her curiosity.

"Those are craters, giant holes in the ground."

"Like this one?" she asks, and he smiles softly.

"Maybe. The little lights are called stars."

She once again mouths the word and cranes her head back farther to get a better view. She decides she has never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

Bane smiles to himself at her reaction.

"Someday, when we leave this place, we will sleep out under the stars." He tells her, and she turns to face him. Her smile is genuine and it gives him a warm feeling in his chest.

She has no more nightmares after their trip outside the cell. Instead, she dreams of stars, and all the wonderful things she and her protector will do when they are free.

* * *

They are seated on the roof of her father's dojo, once again staring at the night sky. It is too cold for them to sleep out under them, like he had told her they would, so she takes what she can get.

Bane's thoughts are on everything _but _the stars. He studies the young woman sitting next to him, staring up in to the night sky with a childish wonder. She has grown so much since the day she came into his life. Her hair has grown into long, wavy, chestnut locks. She has lost her once boyish figure and instead has the body of a woman. His eyes rake over her body and he feels something inside of him tighten.

Immediately, he turns his head away from her, ashamed. She has blossomed into a beautiful woman, there is no arguing that, but he reminds himself that she is more than that; she is his Talia. Feelings like the ones he just had are not acceptable. Looking at her in such a lecherous way makes him no better than the men he protected her from when she was a child.

"Something on your mind?" she asks him with a gentle smile. He shakes his head and pulls the collar of his long coat tighter around his neck, suddenly uncomfortable. She tilts her head to the side innocently and gives him a questioning look. Somehow, she can read him like a book.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, angel." He replies. "Let us go inside, tomorrow will be a big day."

She agrees and the two slip from the roof silently back inside.

* * *

Talia has never felt comfortable in her father's chambers. They are dark and mysterious, lit only by a few candles placed sporadically around the room. Books line the entire side of one wall; Ra's is a firm believer that education is power. It is simple, yet complex, she thinks as her eyes shift from side to side. Every item in it seems to have some sense of importance.

She is seated on her knees in the middle of the room, breaking one of the most important rules of the ninja teachings; leaving your back open to danger.

Ra's enters and the candles seem to flicker in awe at the man before them. Talia regards him with apprehension, almost awaiting a strike. He brushes past her and takes a seat on the floor, facing her.

He does not speak immediately, instead using this time with his daughter to look at her. He feels like he is being stabbed in the heart as he takes in her heart shaped face, brown, doe like eyes, and dark, wavy hair.

"You look so much like your mother, my child." His words are thick with emotion, and Talia sees a side of her father that she has rarely seen before. Pity eats away at her once harsh views of the man and she cannot meet his eyes, in fear of seeing the tears that she knows will be there.

The subject of her mother is one that is not often brought to the table. She had tried, multiple times, to get Bane to disclose what little information he has about the woman. _What was she like? Did she sing? I remember her singing…_Her childish questions had all fallen on deaf ears, and he had not provided her with anything. It bothers the young woman greatly that she can barely remember her own mother. Not long after her arrival at her father's house, she had spent a whole afternoon, wallowing in her sorrow, at the realization that she could not remember the sound of her mother's voice.

Talia, feeling a flush of confidence run through her, looks up to her father.

"What was she like?"

The question was simple, but it caught Ra's completely off guard. His head snapped up and he looked at Talia as though he does not recognize her. Slowly, the shock wears off his features and he swallows thickly.

"She was so beautiful, and so smart. Your mother, she was an amazing woman, my dear."

"Can you remember her voice?"

Suddenly, and unexpectedly, her father is gone, replaced with the stone features of Ra's al Ghul.

"If she had not been taken from me, I would not have to strain to remember." His voice is hard like flint, and Talia winces away from it, as though it has bitten her. She longs for the soft, deep voice she just heard moments ago. _The voice of Henri Ducard._

He is on his feet and pacing, obviously troubled by demons from his past. The lines on his face return, and he looks so much older than she knows he really is.

"I have summoned you here to tell you that I will be going away for some time."

_Back to business,_ a voice deep in Talia's subconscious whispers at her. She pulls away from it to hear what her father has to say.

"Do you know that what we do is very much like the game of chess, Talia?"

Now, she is completely baffled. She hates it when her father talks in riddles like this, she desperately wishes he would just get to the point. She sends a thankful thought to whoever is listening that Bane is as blunt as he is.

"You see, we, the League of Shadows, are the white pieces." He has walked over to the chessboard in the corner of the room. He beckons her over, and she follows hesitantly.

"We are the white pieces, bringing down the oppressive black pieces. We sit on our side of the board waiting, watching, for one of their pawns to make a move; a move that will start the quest."

He idly brings his hand down to the board to pick up a black pawn. He twirls it between his long fingers, thinking.

"The little pawns are usually not worth our time, my child, for they pose no real gain, but, when a piece such as, say, a _knight_ is moved," she stares at the black, ornate horse figurine that he has placed in her hand "the quest has begun. We have an opening to the King, to the victory at hand."

"Do you know what Golgotha is, my child?"

Talia squeezes the black knight in her hand so hard the ears of the horse dig into her palm. _Just say it already, damn it!_

She takes a deep breath, and releases the knight from her grasp, placing it on the chess board.

"Golgotha is where Christ was crucified."

He seems pleased with her answer, but continues.

"And what does Golgotha mean?"

She tries to think desperately back to her history class. It is in the tip of her tongue…

"It means, place of the skull." It is Ra's who supplies the answer this time. Talia refrains from rolling her eyes. If he had given her _two _more seconds.

He leaves her at the chessboard and stalks to the window, observing his army below training in the frozen mountain terrain.

"There is a place that makes me think of Golgotha, child. It, too, is a place of death and injustice. They call it _Gotham_."

She has no time to respond before he has resumed his pacing, lost, seemingly, in his own thoughts.

"Gotham's knight has made his first move. I must leave you to find what his next one will be."

He is standing in front of her again, and his hand comes up to gently cup the side of her face. His face, once again, looks years younger.

"Stay on the path, my child. Resume your training as soon as possible; I will need you in our quest against this corrupt city."

Talia breathes in deeply as she is dismissed.

_I am sorry, father, but I will not be a pawn in your game._


	4. Fresh Start

Talia al Ghul had never felt this kind of excitement.

As she began packing what little she owned in to a small, cloth sack, she noticed the way her hands trembled. She was not scared, though. No, this trembling was caused by pure elation.

For the first time in her life, _she _was the one in control. She had not chosen to be born in The Pit, or to become an heiress to a covert ninja faction hell bent on bring justice to the world. No, these things she had really had no say in, but _this_, leaving the temple with Bane, was _all_ her decision.

She felt giddy as she wrapped her blankets into small parcels to carry over her shoulders. She was ready, more than ready, to get a real taste of freedom. She did not know where they were going, but then again, she did not even _care._

The small knock on her door tore her from her excited daydreams and back in to a feeling of terror. Thinking quickly, she threw the satchel containing all her belongings under her pillow, desperately trying to make it appear that she was not preparing to run. Smoothing her wrinkled clothing, she sucked in a deep breath as she opened the door.

The doctor was the last person she expected to see on the other side. He smiled warmly at her, and at the sight of his gentle greeting, she felt her shoulders lose their tense posture.

"May I come in?" he asked her quietly. She nodded, curious, as she stepped aside to let him in.

The doctor waited until she has shut the door to turn around and make eye contact with her. He was a short man, just slightly taller than Talia herself. She looked at him straight on for possibly the first time since her arrival, and she finds that he looks older than the first time they met.

Her eyebrows rise as he reaches into the folds of his robe and withdraws a small, brown sack. With a smile, he hands it to her and begins to move toward the door.

"Wait." Talia calls after him as his hand reaches the door knob. "What is this?"

"Those, my dear, are the vials needed to keep your friend's mask operational. If I'm not mistaken, there is enough in there for a year or more."

Talia is stunned, scared. "I…I don't understand." She falters, trying to appear innocent.

The doctor smiles back to her while opening the door.

"I wish you well, young Talia."

* * *

It is nightfall when they make their escape.

Bane cannot believe that they were able to make it out of the temple without any incident. He had figured at least one or two of Ra's al Ghul's men would try to stop them, but he and Talia had made it out in to the snowy night unharmed. It is cold, and he keeps sending little glances to the girl walking next to him. He would shrug off his leather coat for her in an instant. Talia seems to know this, and she focuses on keeping her teeth from clacking together. Even with the cold biting at what skin she has exposed, she cannot stop smiling.

_The future was bright._

* * *

By morning, they have made it to the base of the mountain. The pair had traveled all night, and Bane thought they had made excellent progress. It is much warmer at the base, but a chill still hangs in the air.

"We better rest." He tells Talia, as he leads her to a large rock jutting from the ground. There, they make a fire and huddle around it.

"Where shall we go from here?" She asks him, her shoulder leaning against his as they rest. She suppresses a yawn and she can tell the act makes him smile.

"There is a city, miles from this place. We will go there, where no one will know us. We can acquire a vehicle from the small town over there." He motions with his hand to the west, and she sees the dim glow of lights. She knows she is tired, because this is the first she has noticed them.

"Sleep now, angel. We have much traveling left to do."

Talia turns to face him and leans her head on his broad arm. He throws the blanket he brought around her, and cannot help but feel the nostalgia creep up on him. When was the last time they had experienced this; the two of them, sleeping on a rock, yet somehow utterly comfortable?

Bane feels a tightening in his chest. Talia is at his side once again, and everything in the world is right.

* * *

The vehicle had been easy to steal; carelessly parked behind some kind of official building with the keys sloppily hid in the ashtray. By the next night they are on their way to a city bigger than any Talia has ever seen.

As she lets her arm stick out of the side of the military jeep, she cannot help but smile blissfully. Bane has promised to allow her to drive, and she is thrilled. _Driving? What's next! _

"Are you ready?" he asks her out of the blue, and she jerks her head away from the moon lit landscape to look at him. He is definitely smiling, and seeing his eyes look so carefree makes her beam back.

"Born ready." She answers haughtily, and the muffled sound of a chuckle meets her ears.

The jeep slows to a stop and Bane opens the driver's door and heads to the passenger side. Talia quickly scoots over to the driver's seat. Her hands grasp the wheel and she runs them over the worn leather cover, still warm from where Bane's hands had been moments ago. A twinge of nervousness passes through her but she roughly throws the emotion aside. She will not allow such a feeling to ruin this for her.

"The truck is in neutral now." Bane begins, motioning to the gear shift. "You have to put it in gear to get it to move."

Talia's small hand reaches for the knob and her teacher immediately grabs it. Her face heats up as his large, warm hand envelops hers. She'd never realized just how warm he was.

"I guess I should explain some more first." He says, letting her hand go and adverting his eyes, seemingly embarrassed.

"The peddle on the far left, no not that one, that's the brake, the _far _left, that's your clutch. You have to press it down before you can put the truck in gear. Then, you have to let it out very slowly and give it some gas with the far right one, the one to the right of the brake, yes, good."

Talia's booted foot presses the peddle to the floor and her hand is on the gear shift again. She looks at him with questioning eyes.

"Where do I put the gear shift?" she asks.

"Pull it towards you, just like that, now towards the back of the cab."

Talia's knitted eyebrows relax as she feels the truck slide into gear. Slowly, she releases the peddle, and the jeep glides forward. Suddenly, it jumps, throwing Talia in her seat. Her foot reaches for the clutch and she pushes it down as fast as she can. Bane is laughing loudly now.

"I said slow!" he manages between gasps. Talia glares at him.

It takes her two more tries, but finally the jeep is rolling down the road. She finds up shifting much easier than starting, and smiles widely at Bane in triumph.

"You are a natural, angel." He compliments, as she sets her eyes on the road ahead. The moment catches Bane off guard and he is staring at her before he realizes it. From where he is sitting, he can just see the side of her face. She is smiling, and her eyes seem so bright as she watches the horizon. The moon splashes just the right amount of light on her soft features, and he is positive that there is not a more beautiful woman in the world.

"Bane?" her nervous voice shakes him and he swallows a lump in his throat. His eyes meet hers as she glances at him while still trying to watch the road.

"Thank you."

* * *

By the time they reach the outskirts of the city, Talia's driving has improved dramatically. Bane explains that she needs to be able to operate a vehicle; if something where to happen where she would need to escape, a vehicle would be her best mode of transportation.

He has her pull over before they enter the city limits, and they switch places once again.

As Talia situates herself in the passenger seat, Bane reaches into his bag and removes two shawls.

"Here, wrap this around your face and head." He instructs, handing her the garment. The girl's nose scrunches in dislike as she takes the cloth.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, in this region, women do not show their faces." She sighs heavily as she begins wrapping the offending piece of fabric around her head.

"Don't worry, I will be wearing one, too." He assures her, wrapping his shawl around himself. He shakes his head as she continues to fuss with hers.

"We are going to have to find a place to stay first." Bane begins, while securing the shawl in place. He checks in the rearview mirror to assure it hides the majority of his mask. Only a thick black square is visible between his eyes. He hopes inwardly that it won't attract attention.

"I'm afraid I don't have much money." He confesses, sheepishly glancing towards Talia, who is still struggling with the shawl. He reaches over and finishes securing it for her.

"That's not a problem." She says nonchalantly, and at Bane's questioning look she reaches into her bag. She pulls out a large stack of bills.

"Talia…how?" Bane is flabbergasted. Talia giggles at his reaction as she sets it in his hand.

"I figured it would only be proper if my father gave us a…_going away _present." Her eyes are full of mischief and he imagines she is smirking underneath that shawl.

"You little thief…" She is laughing now, so hard tears stream down her eyes. Bane eyes the money in his hand. Thief or not, she just made their start in this city much easier.

"Back to business." He tells her, after her laughter has calmed. "You will be doing all the talking."

"What?" The smile is off her face in an instant and she turns to face him, eyes wide.

"People will be suspicious if they hear how my voice sounds." He can't look at her as he talks. "You will tell anyone who asks that I was in an accident that rendered me mute. When we are in the city, you will refer to me as your brother, Nizar. You will be Hasna."

Talia can't help but blush.

Hasna, she knows, means beautiful.

* * *

The city was a buzz of action. There were people crowding the streets; buying, selling trading. Small cars attempted to merge with the constant flow of pedestrians. Talia found herself pressing closer to Bane with each step. She was not used to such activity, and the sight of it unnerved her. She scowled to herself under shawl. She hoped she could get used to this place.

Bane led them deeper into the city, keeping a close eye on Talia. If he lost sight of her even for an instant, he doubted that he would be able to find her again in this sea of people.

After half an hour of muddling their way through the crowded business district, they found themselves out of the crowds and in to the quieter section that held housing. Talia could see the large business buildings in the distance and they fascinated her. How had she not realized all this was here?

A tug on her arm brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked over to see Bane pointing at a building. 'Rooms for Rent' the bright, red banner read. He lead her to the entrance and they made their way inside.

A short, balding man sat at the desk, scratchily writing on a yellow tablet. He looked up at the sound of the door opening.

"May I help you?" he asked in accented English. Talia smiled warmly and hoped it met her eyes.

"We would like to rent an room." She stated. The man's eyebrows knitted together and he sent a confused glance between Bane and Talia. Anger coursed through her. Bane had told her it was uncommon for a woman to speak for a man, and that people would most likely be confused at first when she spoke instead of him.

"My name is Hasna." She tried again, keeping her tone even. "My…"

Talia froze. Bane had told her to say brother, but suddenly, the word would not leave her mouth. _Say it! _She screamed inwardly. _What is your problem? _A cold sweat broke out on the back of her hands as she clasp them in front of her. The man was looking at her very strangely now, and Bane, too, was giving her a concerned look.

Realizing she could possibly blow their cover, Talia coughed delicately into her fisted hand to disguise her inner peril.

"I apologize, sir. My husband cannot speak; he was in an accident that took away his speech."

_Husband?! _Talia kept her face stoic as her conscious screamed at her. _You can't say brother but you can say _husband?!

She dare not look at Bane, and if she had, she may have noticed the slight twitch jump at his right eye. He struggled to keep his eyes from showing any emotion. Talia had just called him her _husband_. He knew he had told her to say brother, not husband. What did this mean? Why had she said that?

The man, oblivious to both of their inner arguments, gave an apologetic smile.

"I am very sorry, I was not aware." He said gently, smiling at Bane. Bane nodded numbly in response, his mind miles away.

"I have a one bedroom flat that just became available, fully furnished, if you are interested?" he continued, turning away to grab a key off of the wall behind him. "Here, let me show you."

As they made their way out of the office, Talia purposely did not look Bane in the eyes. Secretly she was afraid of what she would see. If he looked angry for her verbal slip, she was not sure how she would take it.

The flat the landlord showed them was, in her opinion, perfect.

It was small, yes, but homey. There was a living room, a dining room, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. What more could they possibly want?

"We'll take it." She said happily, shaking hands with the man. She noticed the way he looked at her hand suspiciously, and wondered what exactly he was looking for.

* * *

"_Husband?" _

Bane could not stop himself as he shut the door securely behind them as they entered their new home. Talia kept her back to him, fiddling with the faucet on the sink. To her relief, water poured from it.

"I did not think brother was convincing enough." She said softly. "You said I had to do all the talking. I simply said what I thought was best."

Bane seemed to accept her answer, for he left her to play with the kitchen sink. She sighed roughly as she turned the faucet off.

Why had she said husband?

She tossed her bag onto the chair of the two sitting dining room table and looked out the window at the sun fading across the horizon.

She had noticed a change in their…relationship, if you could call it that. To her, it seemed like the looks lasted longer, the talks were more in depth, and at the slightest bit of contact her stomach was in a frenzy. Talia, who had never had a crush, or been around girls to know what one _was_, was utterly baffled by the strange feelings she was experiencing.

She had known Bane her entire life. He had saved her, and made a life altering sacrifice for her. He was her best friend, her mentor, her protector. Why now was she finding herself feeling uneasy around him?

The man in question came back from inspecting the bedroom and walked past her to the door.

"Come on, _wife_, we have supplies to gather."

* * *

So, I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter...but I really wanted to get it up! I am determined to finish this story, and hope there are still some people who haven't lost interest! Read and review please


	5. Fitting In

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you are the only reason I am updating. Please, if you like this story, tell me why! If you don't, tell me why!

* * *

It took only one week in the free world for Talia to figure out that she loved it. She woke up when she wanted, ate what she wanted, and could basically do whatever she pleased. Except go outside.

"Bane, I have been trapped in her for _days, _I need to go out!"

A highly annoyed Talia followed her fake husband around the apartment as he gathered his things to go out for the day. He, somehow, had found a job. He did not reveal to her much about it, and she assumed it was not the most legal of occupations, which frustrated her even more.

"It is unsafe out there for a girl such as yourself." He replied without even sparing her a glance. Talia roughly pushed herself between him and the kitchen counter and forced him to make eye contact with her.

"You forget, my friend, that I have been trained in the art of hand-to-hand combat. I have had hours of weapons training. There is not a _thing_ these men can throw at me that I cannot handle. And I am a _woman,_ I am not some child you can keep locked in the house!"

A stretch of silence followed her rant, and she felt her blood boil as he gave her a less than enthusiastic look.

"I am doing what is best for you."

She pushed past him and stalked in the direction of the bedroom. Bane shook his head and chuckled to himself. That teenage rebellion was at an all time high today. Even so, he hated to leave knowing she was angry with him. Defeated, he went to the bedroom. As he had expected, she was sitting on the bed, cross legged, and brooding.

"Would it please her highness if I took her to the market with me this evening?" he asked.

"It's a start."

* * *

By noon, Talia had run out of things to keep her occupied. She had washed their clothing in the bath tub, washed herself, cleaned the kitchen, and made her bed. She also fluffed the pillows on the couch, since that was where Bane insisted on sleeping. After finding she had run out of mundane chores to occupy her hands, the urge to be outside raged once again.

Naturally, Bane had locked the door before leaving, giving her quite an obstacle between her and the outside world. The ninja princess took one look at the pitiful lock and decided it was worth a try.

Two paperclips she had found left from the previous tenant and half an hour of frustration and heated language gave way to the door knob turning in her sweaty hands and the bright rays of the sun landing on her face. She smiled to herself in triumph, feeling all the more powerful. She ran back inside, grabbed some of her "going away present", and decided to do part of the shopping for Bane while he was out.

* * *

She had to admit to herself, as she wove her way between the sea of people, that she had not been this nervous with Bane at her side. She swallowed hard and reminded herself that this was what she had wanted, and that she could not let him know that she was beginning to think he was right. For a woman who had had such an unusual childhood, being surrounded by people was almost a culture shock. It reminded her of the last time she had been exposed to this strange world.

She had been so young and so scared then. Bane had just sacrificed himself to give her a chance at freedom, and she had been thrown from The Pit with nothing but the rag of a dress she wore. She remembered her feet, how they had burned as she ran through the desert, scared and disoriented. She had slept alone for the first time in her life, and it had been the most terrifying thing. Awoken by the haunting images of her protector drowning in a sea of flesh had jolted her awake, and she had continued her journey after finding that sleep would evade her that night.

To this day, she sometimes wonders how she had done it. How she had survived long enough to find her father. Long enough to be put in another kind of pit, one where what she really wanted was visible, but so out of reach.

She shakes her head to clear her mind of the memory and focuses back on the present. She knows they need food, and some new clothes would be nice. She thinks of all the food she knows how to make and what she would need to buy to make it. She knows it is easier for Bane to eat soft foods. She quickly decides to make a soup the cook at her father's house had taught her, and darts to the side of the market where all the produce is located.

The vegetables she needs are easy to find, and she feels relieved when she successfully makes her first purchase. With the bag clutched firmly in her arms, she moves down the row of merchants to find the rest of her ingredients and some clothes.

Talia stumbles upon the clothing first, and stops to check for something acceptable. The part of the city they have chosen to live in is a poor one, and she is slightly disappointed to see that all the clothes are plain and very simple. Just as she goes to ask the merchant for the price of a shawl she thinks would work better than the rag wrapped around her head, she is startled as a commotion in the alley next to the vendor breaks out.

There is a woman, who could not be much older than Talia herself, pinned to the wall by a man. He is holding her wrist tightly in his hand and in an awkward position. The woman is pleading with him frantically in her native tongue. He practically growls a response and throws her to the ground, sending a stack of crates tumbling to the sandy ground.

Before she can fully register what she is doing, Talia drops the bag of vegetables and darts past two older women purposely trying to ignore the scene. The man does not see her coming, as he is too busy screaming at the frightened woman on the ground. Her fists are fast and she catches him off guard. Within seconds he is on the ground, stunned, unsure of what hit him. Turning quickly, Talia kneels next to the woman and hauls her to her feet. The shawl around her head reveals only her eyes. They are wide and brown and glistening with tears.

"Run, get out of here." She gives her a push on the back in case she doesn't understand the language. The woman whispers to Talia what sounds like a rushed thank you and runs.

The man is up and on his feet when Talia turns back around and he sloppily throws a punch her way. She dodges it and slams a heel into his side. The air escapes his lungs in a loud woosh and he stumbles. Quickly, while he is still winded, she locates two of the pressure points on his upper body and watches with satisfaction as he slumps to the ground, the use of his muscles leaving him.

With a grin of fulfillment Talia turns around to retrieve her vegetables. She is not surprised to see the whole town staring at her, practically gawking. A cold sweat breaks out on her back and the grin falls from her face. Quickly, she runs past them and grabs her bag, and does not stop until she is back in the apartment.

* * *

She is shaking when she arrives back home. Dropping the vegetables onto the table, she slumps into the chair, her head in her hands. She pulls in a shaky breath and holds it, trying to rid herself of this ball of fear that has accumulated in her stomach.

She knows she should not have done what she did. She and Bane were in _hiding_. They needed to have as little attention brought to them as possible. Talia figures by now half the town will know what she has done. Bane had told her that women were not treated as equals to the men in this place. She knows this, and yet she could not stop herself.

Talia knows exactly why she did it. Images of her mother, being dragged from her cell, flash behind her eyes and she wills them away. Seeing that woman today, cornered by a man, made her feel as though she was watching her mother be murdered all over again.

Except this time, she had done what she had imagined countless times doing for her mother.

Talia is not the kind of girl who cries often, but the tears slip past her eyes before she knows it. She rubs them furiously, angry at herself, at the world, at her life. She usually tries not to think of her mother, as the memories bring nothing but pain and regret, but now they are coming without her being able to stop them.

She lets a sob escape her lips as she sets her head on the table.

* * *

Bane hears of Talia's fight three hours after it takes place.

He had found a job overseeing the loading and unloading of the delivery trucks that came to town every day. It was a simple job. He stood outside the building as the men inside unloaded countless pounds of guns, ammunition, drugs, and various other packages he wasn't interested in knowing about. They had been impressed with his brute strength and lack of interest for organized government. He would start here, he thought, and eventually work his way up the ladder.

The last truck of the day came in the late evening, and one of the men came outside to ask Bane for his assistance with the unloading. He had nodded mutely and followed him inside, where he proceeded to unload the plain, unmarked boxes from the truck.

In amongst the useless chatter of the other men, one topic in particular caught his attention.

"So, did you hear about the woman who beat the shit out of some guy today?"

"What?" the other man replied genuinely shocked.

"My brother saw the whole thing. Said this guy caught a girl tryin' to steal some of shit, and just has he was about to really lay into her, this woman comes out of nowhere and just puts him down."

The other man laughs loudly as he tosses a box to the next man in line.

"That one won't last long."

Bane barely registers when the box lands in his hands.

* * *

He is fuming by the time he reaches their apartment, and he throws the door open angrily. Talia, who had fallen asleep curled up on the couch, jumps up in to a sitting position.

He slams the door shut before stalking into the kitchen and whipping the shawl off of his face. Placing his hands on the sink, he bows his head and breaths deeply. He doesn't want to explode on her, he really doesn't, but knowing she has done something so stupid and irresponsible makes him want to throttle her.

She knows he knows. She has no idea how he does, but he does. Why else would he be so angry? From where she is sitting she can see how tense the muscles in his shoulders are, how the vein going under his mask is throbbing. She has only seen him this angry a handful of times, and never has the anger been directed towards her. For probably the first time, she is genuinely afraid of him.

The seconds seem to last hours for her, as she sits on the couch, afraid to move. She wants to go to him, explain why she did it, why she had to, but the words won't come out. Finally, he turns to her.

"Have you any idea what you've done?"

His voice is ice, and she looks down, unable to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry." Her voice comes out much more timid than she would have liked.

"_Sorry_ is not good enough."

He is kneeling in front of her so fast she barely has time to realize he's there until his thick hands are latched around her arms and he is pushing her back into the couch.

"_Everyone_ knows what you did. _Everyone _is talking about it. Words travel fast, darling. What do you think your father will think if he hears of this somehow? His daughter goes missing and there is a rogue woman on the loose in the closest city to his home. Do you not _think_ he will figure it out?"

She can't help the tears that build in her eyes once more. She could take being berated by her father, her teachers, but not Bane. The mere thought of Bane being so angry with her hurts her.

"I didn't…I didn't want that. I don't know what happened…I just…"

"You weren't _thinking_." He gives her a particularly hard shove to emphasize his point. His hands are like vice grips on her arms and she wiggles slightly to try and relieve the pressure. A tear drop falls and lands on her flushed cheek.

"I'm sorry, Bane, I am. I really am." Her voice cracks as she looks into his narrowed eyes.

"You purposely disobeyed my orders, went out in public where you could have been seen by one of your father's scouts, and then you attack a man who isn't harming you? I'm beginning to think you almost _want_ to be found." There isn't an ounce of sympathy in his voice, only anger.

"No! I don't!" she cries to him, shocked by his accusation. "He was hurting her, Bane, I had to help her."

"You didn't even know her. You owe her _nothing! _If it had been you she would have turned her back on you!"

Talia is crying now, scared that the one person she had in this world is seemingly turning against her.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." She repeats, her head down, tears falling freely. "Please don't leave me." The last part is a whisper, and she instantly regrets saying it.

Bane lets go of her arms roughly as he pushes himself away from her.

"I've given my life for you. How dare you risk both our safety to help a woman who never cared for you like I have."

She buries her face in her hands, knowing he is right. Knowing that it is him she should be thinking of and no one else.

"Go to your bed. I wish to lie down."

Numbly, she stands and heads to the bedroom, unable to look at him.

How had things gone so badly so quickly?

* * *

As the sun slips below the horizon and the small apartment becomes black with night, Talia lays on her side, eyes fixed on the wall. She hasn't really moved since Bane sent her away. She is scared, lonely, guit-stricken, and confused. At the time, she had thought what she was doing was right, was what she should have done. Now, she is doubting herself. _Was Bane right? Should she have turned her back and let the woman be beaten? Should she have walked away?_

No.

A voice in her head fights her feelings.

_I had to do it. I couldn't have lived with myself if I had walked away and left her. I couldn't have dealt with the fact that I had failed my mother and another innocent person._

But what about Bane? The man who had saved her, raised her, protected her? She knew what her father would do to him if they were ever found. _Was that woman worth his life?_

Her head begins to throb as she is caught within her mind. She needs to go to him. She needs to talk to him; make him see that she had been justified. Stiffly, she stands up and creeps down the hallway.

He isn't sleeping. She knows this as soon as she can hear his breathing. Quietly, she goes to the front of the couch where he is laying and sits on the floor, much like a child.

"Bane?"

Her voice is soft, barely a whisper. He opens his eyes and looks at her. She can already tell he hasn't forgiven her.

"What."

"I'm sorry Bane." She starts, her voice still quiet. "I wasn't thinking today, you were right. And I shouldn't have left the house. I know I shouldn't have. But please…please understand why I had to help her. I saw her Bane, and I…I saw my mother. I saw her being beaten by the men of The Pit again. I couldn't do anything then, but I can _now._ I couldn't let that woman be hurt…not when I had the power to stop it. I had to do it for my mother…I had to do for that woman what I couldn't do for her."

She had thought her confession would have made him see why she had attacked that man. She thought it would make him forgive her. It did the exact opposite.

"You owed that woman nothing, and you owed your mother even less."

His words strike her like a blow to the face and she is caught off guard.

"_What?" _she hisses.

Bane sits up quickly and grips the cushions of the couch in his iron-like grasp.

"I did not stutter."

"How could you say that about her?" Talia is the one angry now.

"Have you never thought about it, Talia? Are you so blinded as to see that woman damned you to The Pit? That she chose your father over you?"

"What are you talking about? My mother loved me."

Bane was screaming at himself inside to stop talking, to not continue with his story any more. His anger got the better of him, and he rounded on her.

"Your _mother_ was a princess, royalty, and she let your scum of a father impregnate her. Your grandfather, so enraged, sentenced your father to a life in The Pit. But your _mother, _knowing that she was carrying you, requested to take his place in The Pit so your father may survive. Do you not see it? She sacrificed you, her unborn daughter, to save a man who did not deserve saving."

Talia sat back on her heels, blinking rapidly, the wind out of her sails. Immediately Bane regretted every word. The look of shock on his Talia's face broke his heart in so many ways, and he had caused it.

"Talia…" he began, slowly reaching a hand out to touch her face.

"Don't." she hissed, withdrawing from him. She looked betrayed, lost.

She quickly stood up and grabbed her shawl from the table while heading towards the door.

"Talia, where are you going?" Bane was on his feet, catching the door just as she was about to close it.

"Don't." she repeated, tears falling for the third time that day. "Please, just don't."

He took a step back, remorseful, as she threw the shawl over her face and retreated into the night.


End file.
